The Sound of Rain by Sarah Loudin Thomas

I enjoyed this book a lot! I think the only thing I would have enjoyed more is if we got to know some of the fun secondary characters better like Granny Jane, but maybe that’s just because she reminds me of some of my quirky elderly clients. I loved the bits of history from the mining to the hurricane aspect. I think I enjoyed the fact that this book was about the 1950s the most. I feel like I should have grown up in the 50s and most historical fiction I read takes place much earlier. I also enjoy those books, but I enjoyed reading about this era.

Please note: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher, but all opinions are my own.

A Plain Leaving by Leslie Gould

This book was predictable in a lot of ways, but I enjoyed how the author told two stories at the same time. I always enjoy when I can connect with a book on an emotional level. My extended family is much like Jessica’s; there’s a lot of turmoil and it impacts everyone. It always surprises me when I read Amish fiction and they deal with the same issues I do. I look forward to reading the other books in this series! I hope they follow Liesel’s journey next!

Please note: I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.

Cherished Mercy by Tracie Peterson

Cherished Mercy, the third book in the Heart of the Frontier series by Tracie Peterson, was just as excellent as the first and second book in the series. I loved watching the progression of the three sisters as they grew throughout the series, not only as young women, but in their faith and as a family. As in the previous two books, Cherished Mercy had its share of emotional ups and downs, but it kept me interested the whole time. I loved watching Mercy’s character development throughout the series as it started when she was a young girl. I recommend starting with the first book if you haven’t read it yet because although each book mostly follows one sister, the books each lay the groundwork for one another.

Please note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing but was not influenced to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.

The Two of Us by Victoria Bylin

Another winner by Victoria Bylin. I liked all the other subplots aside from your typical boy meets girl story. Don’t get me wrong; I love Jake and Mia, but the Alzheimer’s aspect hit home. I actually lost my grandfather to Alzheimer’s (and old age) about a month ago and I work at an adult day center where I work with Alzheimer’s and dementia clients daily. The book was beautifully written and I loved all the characters. Even grouchy old Bill Hatcher comes through in the end. How? Read it to find out!

Please note: I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing but was not told to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Beloved Hope by Tracie Peterson

I read the first book in this series and loved it. I loved this one just as much! I will recommend reading the first one before this because although this installment offers some information about Treasured Grace, you’d need to read it to understand Hope’s story.

Beloved Hope takes place two years after Treasured Grace and Hope continues to struggle with the battles she encountered in the first book. Although we see a little bit of progression in Grace’s story, this one focuses mostly on Hope and I assume the third book will focus on the youngest sister, Mercy. I loved seeing the development of Hope’s character throughout this book. There was a lot of growth in her. This book kept my attention like the first book did, so if you haven’t read either, I highly recommend them both.

Please note I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing, but all opinions are my own. I was not persuaded to write a positive review.

With You Always by Jody Hedlund

I had a hard time getting through this book. I liked the concept and characters enough, but I felt like there were a lot of words that didn’t really go anywhere. I appreciate that the author explored a woman’s point of view and experiences in such a time that is not often explored in history books; I just think that there were some areas of the book that had too many words to make a point when it could have been explained easier. I would definitely give the author another chance because she has great reviews on other work.

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing but was not asked to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

True to You by Becky Wade

I didn’t love this book. It was a good concept and well written, but I struggled getting through it. I guess I just had a problem with it keeping my interest. No specific reason why, I think it was just slow moving and I wasn’t eager to sit and read more as I often am with the books I read.

I enjoyed the characters for the most part, especially since the grandmother wasn’t your quintessential sweet grandma I find in a lot of these Christian fiction books. She was more realistic than lots of grandmas I’ve read about in the past as fictional grandmas are usually kind and loving, not grumpy like real old ladies can be.

I honestly don’t have much to say about this book. It just didn’t hold my interest, but I would give the author another shot because she clearly has talent.

Please note: I was given a copy of this book by Bethany House Publishers, but I was not told to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

The Ebb Tide by Beverly Lewis

I’ve read several Beverly Lewis books now and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed most of them. However, this one shot to the top of my list within the first few chapters. Although it is a book about an Amish young woman, Lewis took the story to Cape May, New Jersey where Sallie Riehl worked as a nanny for a summer. Although I love the small-town Amish stories that take place in Pennsylvania, Ohio, etc., I like how this took place on the beach in Cape May, truly a beautiful place. I love the secondary characters in this book as well, especially Cousin Essie. This is a great beach read, especially if you’re heading to the Jersey Shore!

Please Note: All opinions are my own. I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House but was not asked to write a positive review.

Treasured Grace by Tracie Peterson

I was eager to read a book by Tracie Peterson because I’d heard excellent comments about her historical fiction. I was not disappointed!

Although this book had a lot of sad moments, it was suspenseful and kept me interested. Instead of glossing over certain aspects, Tracie weaved intricate plots throughout the book and really focused on how the characters felt without telling us, Hope was mad. We could figure out what the characters felt by how she described their actions or reactions to things, but a writer who can tell us what a character is feeling without spelling it out is what I’m looking for and something Tracie excels with. I knew nothing of the Whitman Massacre before I read this book, so I looked it up online to become familiar before I read that part of the book. I didn’t need to because as it turns out, Tracie wrote about it concisely so I could understand the meaning behind it. I enjoyed reading about the interactions between the characters and I’m excited to see there are already titles and release dates for the other two books in the series!

Please note: I received a complimentary copy of this book through Bethany House Publishing, but all opinions are my own.

A Note Yet Unsung by Tamera Alexander

I absolutely loved this book! I hadn’t read the others in the series and although being familiar with the characters would have been nice, it definitely wasn’t necessary.

This book pulled at my heartstrings in more ways than one. The main story line follows a young woman who is a musician living in a time when women weren’t professional musicians. Rebekah overcame adversity with strength and tenacity. I admired her.

The other female roles in this book were also admirable women. Although the book was set in the 1800s after the Civil War, a lot of the issues faced by the characters are pertinent today, and I couldn’t help but feel for many of the characters on a deep level. This book was full of surprises and had me feeling all the emotions I love to feel when reading an excellent story. My only complaint is that this is the last in the series!

Please note: I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the author and Bethany House Publishers, but I was not told that I had to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.